Biden was right to pardon his son. Trump would have made Hunter a target. | Opinion
With the pardon of his son Hunter, President Joe Biden reminded the nation of the balance between accountability and compassion.
I'm glad President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter for felony convictions on federal tax evasion and gun charges.
Pardoning Hunter was the the only way the president could protect his son from political retribution at the hands of the incoming Trump administration.
Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized the pardon. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., called the president out in a tweet: "Joe Biden has lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities. Not only has he falsely claimed that he never met with his son’s foreign business associates and that his son did nothing wrong, but he also lied when he said he would not pardon Hunter Biden.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said Biden’s pardon placed “personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.”
Hunter Biden prosecution reflects problems in America's criminal justice system
But Hunter Biden's case reflects everything that is broken in America's justice system − costly and lengthy investigations and trials, the lack of comprehensive reform efforts and biases that unfairly target particular groups.
Don't get me wrong, Hunter Biden is no saint.
His criminal history stems to 2014, driven at least in part by a drug addiction that led him to lie on federal documents and illegally obtain a gun. He also pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
The Justice Department, under President Biden, carried out the investigations. Hunter didn't receive special treatment, and the president didn't interfere with his son's criminal investigations or court proceedings.
Presidents have routinely pardoned individuals with criminal records. Some pardons were granted to resolve injustice and others to protect individuals from disproportionate punishment. President Biden’s use of this authority aligns with that tradition.
By pardoning his son shortly before sentencing, the president protected him from being used as a pawn in partisan warfare. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to weaponize government institutions against his political opponents.
Critics have argued that the pardon sets a bad precedent, but the opposite is true. President Biden’s pardon of Hunter was not an act of favoritism; it was a demonstration of leadership in the face of difficult circumstances.
Presidents Trump, Clinton also pardoned family members
Biden isn’t the only president to pardon a family member.
Trump during his first term pardoned Charles Kushner, father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, after he was convicted of preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission in 2005. Trump now has named Charles Kushner the next U.S. ambassador to France.
Former President Bill Clinton on his last day in office on Jan. 20, 2001, pardoned half-brother Roger Clinton, who spent one year in prison on drug charges, according to The Washington Post. It reported that he sold cocaine to an undercover police officer.
By allowing the judicial process to proceed until just before sentencing, the Biden administration upheld its commitment to justice. And by issuing the pardon, the president ensured that his son would not become a political scapegoat.
With the pardon of Hunter, President Biden reminded the nation of the balance between accountability and compassion. You can't just build a village; you must protect it, too.
Marla Bautista is a military fellow columnist at Paste BN Opinion.